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"He'll take care of you," Blake said in a low voice

"I'm sure he will"

"Will you accept?"

She looked up sharply "Do you care?"

"How can you ask that?"

"I thought you didn't feel I thought you didn't care about anything"

"Caroline, I do care about your future I just can't be what you need in a husband"

"That's an excuse" She stood, her posturebut a coward, Blake Ravenscroft"

She started to walk away, but her feet sank in the sand, and he was able to catch up with her quickly "Don't touch me!" she yelled when his hand closed around her aro "I want you to accept Riverdale's proposal"

"You have no right to tellnonetheless"

Caroline let her head fall back Her breath came in short, shallow pants, and she squeezed her eyes shut for ain her ed to say

"Not until I have your word that you will marry Riverdale"

"No!" she cried out "No! I won't marry him I don't love hirip tightened around her arm "Caroline, you th that was born of fury and heartbreak, she yanked her arm away and started to run down the beach She ran until her lungs burned, until her eyes were so filled with tears that she couldn't see She ran until the pain in her body finally eclipsed that in her heart

She stunore the sound of Blake's footsteps drawing closer Then his body sla theround Caroline landed on her back, with Blake's body covering hers inti in hard pants

She stared up at hin that he loved her And then she reached out, grabbed the back of his head, and pulled hishim with all the love and desperation in her heart

Blake tried to resist He couldn't have her; he knew that She was going to , and the press of her body against his turned his blood to flame

He murmured her name over and over, like a mantra He'd tried to be noble, he'd tried to push her away, but he wasn't strong enough to say no when her tongue was on his lips and her bare feet were rubbing along his calves

His hands were nimble and quick, and he had her dress off in under ten seconds He laid it down beneath her to protect her froht before his entire being was overtaken by the need to possess her